Second courtyard
The second courtyard houses the Diwan-i-am, the Hall of Public Audiences (item 4), and the Ganesh Pol (item 6).
Diwan-i-am
I didn't get a good overall shot of the Diwan-i-am, so here's one I pinched from
this site (which has a bunch of other excellent photos)
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| Diwan-i-am, or Hall of Public Audience (from here), viewed from the south, looking north |
This is where the king, or raja, would hold audience here to hear petitions from the public. The raja sat in the middle of the pavilion, with his nobles, advisors and officers on the northern side, and the public and lesser officials to the west and in the adjoining courtyard The southern side of the hall (in the foreground of the above image) was kept clear so the royal ladies could watch and listen to proceedings without being seen.
The pillars have been elaborately carved from marble and red sandstone.
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| Elephants and lotus flowers adorn the columns of the Diwan-i-am |
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| More elephants and lotus flowers |
This was our first day out and about in Rajasthan. After the humid heat of the south, the boys were a little unprepared for the colder, drier north. They huddled under Nonni's shawl on the steps of the Diwan while we listened to our guide.
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| Little boys blue |
Ganesh Pol
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| Ganesh Pol |
Despite the Islamic requirement to not depict animals or people, every Indian house or palace will have Ganesh at the front door. Ganesh (who has an elephant head and a rotund human body) is the remover (and creator) of obstacles, (to let in, or keep out, as required), and brings prosperity and success.
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| Ganesh Pol |
Above the pol is the Suhaag Mandir, from where the rani, or queen, could observe proceedings in the Diwar-i-am. The back of the portico would be draped with cloth so that you couldn't even see her silhouette.
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| Suhaag Mandir, above the Ganesh Pol |
Looking out onto the Diwar-i-am from the Suhaag Mandir through the exquisitely carved marble screens
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| View of second courtyard from the Suhaag Mandir |
Also in this courtyard was the following sign
and going in through the adjacent doorway, I saw this, before being summoned back to our group.
Continued in
part 3a
I think I just died of envy. Not without noticing how freaking gorgeous your boys are.
ReplyDeleteAw shucks. Even in their incredibly dishevelled, squinty state! Truly gobsmacking, that place. Dad had a stupid goofy grin on his face, delighted at the stupid goofy grins on our faces. That, he said, was his favorite bit of India (the looks on our faces).
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